Magnetic picture stabilizer



March 22, 1 966 R. G. ASHER ETAL 3,241,796 MAGNETIC PICTURE STABILIZER Filed June 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 6

Roben 6. Asher 60 Frances E. Asher 62 INVENTORS Mm BY y 15m March 22, 1966 R. G. ASHER ETAL 3,241,796

MAGNETIC PICTURE STABILIZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1964 Haber! G Asher Frances E. Asher Fig. 2

INVENTORS United States Patent 3,241,796 MAGNETIC PICTURE STABILIZER Robert G. Asher and Frances E. Asher, both of P.(). Box 168, Sterling, Colo. Filed June 11, 1964, Ser. No. 374,478 9 Claims. (Cl. 24829) This invention comprises a novel and useful magnetic picture stabilizer and more particularly pertains to a device specifically adapted to stabilize and maintain in a secure and relatively fixed position pictures or other articles which are suspended or hung from a vertical supporting surface such as a wall or the like.

It is the primary purpose of this invention to provide an appliance which shall be capable of stabilizing hung objects such as pictures and the like against swinging from their individual support means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stabilizing device of the character above described which shall be capable of being readily applied to an article to be stabilized while hung from a wall or the like and shall be readily applied to a wall or other support surface to effect its stabilizing operation upon the article.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the stabilizing arrangement in accordance with the preceding objects which shall include an easily applied or disengaged magnetic attaching means whereby the stabilizer is secured to the wall or other support surface or to the article to be hung thereon or to both.

Yet another purpose of the invention is to provide a stabilizer in accordance with the preceding objects which shall be compactly and concealingly disposed between the supporting surface and the article to be stabilized and hung thereon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stabilizer in accordance with the foregoing objects which shall include a pair of stabilizer arms which may be variably inclined with respect to each other in order to vary the expanse which they cover, together with means for attaching one end of the two arms to an article to be stabilized and the other ends of the arms being adapted to be secured to a wall or other supporting surface.

Yet another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a stabilizing device in accordance with the preceding objects wherein the stabilizing arms thereof shall be longitudinally extensible or contractible as may be required in order to fit the device to different sizes of articles to be stabilized thereby.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like par-ts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing the manner of applying a preferred form of the stabilizing device in accordance with this invention to the back of a picture or other article to be hung upon a wall or other supporting surface, with a portion of the article being broken away to show the position of the stabilizer with respect thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the arrangement of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the broken section line 33 of FIGURE 1 and upon an enlarged scale to show the internal construction of one of the stabilizer arms together with the manner of attaching the stabilizer to a vertical supporting surface and to an article to be hung thereon;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective detail view showing the anchor end of a magnetic fastener of one of the stabilizer arms;

3,241,796 Patented Mar. 22, 1966 FIGURE 5 is a detail view of the other or basic end of the device; and,

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one of the anchor members for securing the device to the wall or other supporting surface.

It is frequently desirable to brace or stabilize pictures or other objects hung upon a wall or other supporting surface to prevent sway of the articles. The present invention provides a stabilizer appliance for this particular purpose and which may be conveniently and unobtrusively disposed between the article and the wall and mounted and secured to both the article and the wall to perform its desired function.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally a picture or other object or article which is to be suspended or hung from a supporting surface such as a wall 12, with the numeral 14 designating generally the stabilizing device of this invention. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the article 10 is suspended as by means of a conventional hanger 16 and supporting wire 18 from the supporting surface. The stabilizing device is applied between the article and the supporting surface and secured to both in a manner to be now set forth for stabilizing or preventing side sway of the article upon its suspension wire 18, while permitting swinging movement of the article towards and from the wall during its suspension thereon.

In a preferred form, the stabilizing appliance of this invention comprises a pair of identical stabilizer arms 20, one end of each arm being secured to a base fastener or mounting means indicated generally by the numeral 22 and which is adapted to be secured to the article 10, while the other end of each arm is secured to a fastening means indicated generally at 24 and which are adapted to be mounted directly upon the vertical supporting surface 12.

The fastening means 22 and 24 by which the stabilizer arms are mounted include units each consisting of a pair of hinged members. Thus, the base fastening member 22 comprises a member preferably in the form of a flat plate 30 which may have one side adhesively coated as at 32 for attachment to the back of the article 10. The fastener includes a second member or plate 34 and a conventional type of hinged joint 36 joins these members together.

Each of the stabilizer arms 20, as shown best in FIG- URE 3, is longitudinally extensible and retractible, consisting of a pair of telescoping sections comprising an outer section 40 and an inner section 42. The inner section although shown as being tubular may be a solid rod if desired.

The free ends of the two sections 40 and 42 are fiattened to provide terminal plates as a 44 and 46. The two plates 46 are disposed in overlapping engagement and are pivotally secured to each other and to the plate 34 by means of a pivot pin which may be in the form of a rivet 48. Thus, the two arms may swing with respect to each other to vary their inclination or their spread as may be desired to fit a given situation.

The terminal plates 44 at the upper or other ends of the arms are secured as by hinges 50 to a second hinge plate 52. As shown in FIGURE 4, the hinge plate 52 is provided with an aperture 54 therethrough and a circular magnet disc 56 is seated in this aperture.

An anchor member in the form of a plate 6!) of magnetic material also constitutes a part of the fastening means 24. This plate of generally rectangular configuration is provided with a rim 62 extending about three sides thereof and is preferably provided with an adhesive coating as shown at 64 in FIGURE 3 by means of which it may be secured to the vertical supporting surface 12 in a convenient location. In this manner, the magnetic element consisting of the plate 52 and the magnet 56 disposed therein may be releasably engaged upon the anchor plate 60 and thus serve to secure the upper end of the stabilizer device.

It will be observed that this construction provides a means which is readily expansible to different sizes of objects to be hung, and in which the stabilizing arms thereof may be variably spaced from each other so as to increase the spread of the device.

Obviously, the magnetic means may be applied at both ends of the stabilizing device both to releasably secure it to the wall and also to releasably secure it to the picture if desired. In some instances, it may be found sufiicient to use a single stabilizer arm between and connecting the two fastening means 22 and 24.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A stabilizer for suspended articles comprising a base member adapted for attachment to the back of an article to be hung, a pair of stabilizer arms each having one end pivotally connected to said base member, a pair of magnetic anchor members each adhesively mountable upon a vertical supporting surface, a hinged connector for each arm, each connector comprising a pair of hinged elements with one element being fixedly secured to the other end of an arm and the other element being secured to one of said anchor members.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each arm has longitudinally expansible and contractible telescoping sections.

3. A stabilizer for suspended articles comprising base and anchor members respectively adapted for attachment to the back surface of an article to be hung and a vertical surface from which an article is to be suspended, a stabilizing arm, connecting means securing the opposite ends of said arm with said members, one of said connecting means comprising a magnetic grip device, said connecting means at the anchor end of said arm comprising a first plate rigidly carried by said arm and a second plate hinged to said first plate, said second plate having a magnet mounted thereon, said anchor member being of a magnetic material for engagement by said magnet.

4. A stabilizer for suspended articles comprising base and anchor members respectively adapted for attachment to the back surface of an article to be hung and a vertical surface from which an article is to be suspended, a stabilizing arm, connecting means securing the opposite ends of said arm to said member, one of said connecting means comprising a magnetic grip device, said connecting means at the base member end of said arm comprising a first plate rigidly secured to said arm, said base member having a second plate hinged thereto, a pivot perpendicular to and connecting said first and second plates.

5. In combination with a support surface and an article having means swingingly supporting it upon said surface for relative movement, a stabilizing device fixedly secured to said article and surface and limiting relative movement of said article and surface, said stabilizing device comprising a base member secured to said article and a pair of anchor members each secured to said surface, said base member having a plate hinged thereto, a pair of stabilizer arms each pivoted to said base member plate at one end of said arms, a pair of spaced anchor members each secured to said surface, said arms having at their other ends means magnetically attaching each arm to one of said anchor plates.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said lastmentioned means consists of a pair of hingedly connected plates, one of said plates being fixed to an arm and the other plate having an opening therethrough and a magnet secured in said opening.

7. A stabilizer for suspended articles comprising a base member adapted for attachment to the back of an article to be hung, at least one stabilizer arm having one end pivotally connected to said base member, at least one magnetic anchor member adhesively mountable upon a vertical supporting surface, a hinge connector for said arm, said connector comprising a pair of hinged elements one element being fixed securely to the other end of said arm and the other element being secured to said anchor member.

8. A stabilizer for articles which are adapted to be suspended from vertical surfaces comprising a relatively flat enlarged plate member attachable at one face to the back of an article to be hung, at least one anchor member attachable to said vertical suspension surface in spaced relation to said plate member and at least one stabilizer arm connected between said plate member and said anchor member, said plate member being substantially wider than said stabilizer arm, and connecting means for connecting said stabilizer arm to said plate member, said connecting means allowing movement of said arm in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said arm.

9. A stabilizer for suspended articles comprising base and anchor members respectively adapted for attachment to the back surface of an article to be hung and a vertical surface from which an article is to be suspended, a stabilizing arm, connecting means securing the opposite ends of said arms to said members, one of said connecting means comprising a first plate rigidly carried by said arm and a second plate hinged to said first plate, said second plate having a magnet mounted thereon whereby said connecting means may be releasably connected to a magnetic member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 685,749 11/1901 Davis 24831 1,943,666 1/ 1934 Gallucci 24829 2,419,398 4/ 1947 Golden 24829 2,448,588 9/1948 Greenberg 24829 2,681,194 6/ 1954 Haluorsen 24829 2,765,998 10/1956 Engert 24829 2,952,431 9/1960 Pedley 248--28 3,118,207 1/ 1964 Breslow 242l4 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A STABILIZER FOR SUSPENDED ARTICLES COMPRISING A BASE MEMBER ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE BACK OF AN ARTICLE TO BE HUNG, A PAIR OF STABILIZER ARMS EACH HAVING ONE END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BASE MEMBER, A PAIR OF MAGNETIC ANCHOR MEMBERS EACH ADHESIVELY MOUNTABLE UPON A VERTICAL SUPPORTING SURFACE, A HINGED CONNECTOR FOR EACH ARM, EACH CONNECTOR COMPRISING A PAIR OF HINGED ELEMENTS WITH ONE ELEMENT BEING FIXEDLY SECURED TO THE OTHER END OF AN ARM AND THE OTHER ELEMENT BEING SECURED TO ONE OF SAID ANCHOR MEMBERS. 